Russia says to complete legal moves to annex Crimea this week

MOSCOW - The legal process required to make Crimea part of Russia will be completed this week, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday, two days after President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty to bring the Ukrainian region into Russia.

"Practical steps are being taken to implement the agreements on the entry of Crimea and (the Crimean port city of) Sevastopol into Russia," Itar-Tass news agency quoted Lavrov as saying. "The legal process will be completed this week."